RATTLERS IN CHARGE AVENGERS FALL TO ARIZONA AGAIN AT STAPLES ARIZONA 42, AVENGERS 38.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

From the fans who made the five-hour drive for the game to the players who spilled onto the field in celebration Saturday night, it was easy to see the Arizona Rattlers own Staples Center like no one else in the Arena Football League.

The Rattlers improved to 6-0 all-time against the Avengers in Los Angeles as Ricky Parker broke up a pass in the end zone as time expired in a wild 42-38 victory in front of 13,322.

``Obviously, we wanted to get Arizona at home, kind of get that cliched monkey off your back,'' said Avengers coach Ed Hodgkiss, whose team now has lost five games by a combined 16 points this season. ``But it didn't happen.''

The deed to the building might as well belong to Arizona after Saturday. They have beaten the Avengers at Staples Center twice in overtime, twice on the final play of regulation and once in last year's playoffs.

``We got a lot of people with a lot of roots in this town,'' Arizona quarterback Sherdrick Bonner said. ``You don't get a chance to play here all the time. It's just a real good experience for us.''

After four lead changes in the fourth quarter, the Avengers took over the ball with 2 minutes, 3 seconds leading and a chance to win. It was all they could ask for after trailing by 12 points and sputtering all night on offense.

Tony Graziani threw to Chris Jackson three times inside the final minute and each was good for a first down. On first-and-goal with 14 seconds left, Graziani found Greg Hopkins on a 5-yard pass down to the 3.

But the Avengers returned to a familiar theme and could not convert near the goal line. Graziani's pass went out of Jackson's hands in the end zone. Then Silas Demary was called for a holding on third down.

That set up a final play from the 13 with 3 seconds left. Graziani looked for Jackson in the end zone but Parker dived to knock away the pass.

With the loss, the Avengers (7-5) dropped into a three-way tie for sixth place in the AFL. The top eight teams will make the playoffs and Hodgkiss believes his team will need to win three of its final four games to be in that group.

``I'm not worried about that,'' Jackson said.

Graziani completed 20 of 32 passes for 215 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He was under heavy pressure all night, including from former Avengers teammates Tony Plantin and Vince Amey.

The Avengers entered Saturday averaging better than 60 points in their past four games. They finally got on track in the fourth quarter. Kevin Ingram turned a screen pass into a 20-yard touchdown and Jackson caught an 8-yard score to put the Avengers ahead 38-35.

But Bonner scored on a quarterback sneak with 2 minutes, 35 seconds remaining to put Arizona back in front 42-38. Bonner completed two deep passes to Oshawante Bryant and Tom Pace in the fourth quarter on the way to victory.

The Avengers activated defensive specialist Damen Wheeler from injured reserve but gave him another week to rest his sprained knee. Lineman Jeremy Staat also did not play after missing practice Thursday in the wake of close friend Pat Tillman's death.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com